The invention relates to a vehicle with a fuel cell system and a method for operating the same.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,657,829 discloses a fuel cell vehicular power plant. Fuel for the fuel cell stack is supplied by a hydrocarbon catalytic cracking reactor and CO shift reactor. A water electrolysis subsystem is associated with the stack. During low power operation part of the fuel cell power is used to electrolyze water with hydrogen and oxygen electrolysis products being stored in pressure vessels. During peak power intervals (viz, during acceleration or start-up), pure oxygen and pure hydrogen from the pressure vessels are supplied as the reaction gases to the cathodes and anodes of the fuel cell stack in place of air and hydrocarbon reformate. However, for a standard motor vehicle there is no fuel production solution for a fuel cell power unit to operate on the same fuel as the standard motor vehicle, i.e., gasoline or diesel fuel.
One object of the invention is to provide a vehicle with a fuel cell power system and a method for operating the same which allows the fuel cell system to operate on the same fuel as the vehicle""s combustion engine.
Another object and advantage is achieved by the power supply system according to the invention, which includes a combustion engine capable of delivering mechanical power for driving at least one wheel drive shaft with driving wheels, auxiliary vehicular electric loads, an alternator powered by the combustion engine for generating electricity, an electric storage device for storing alternator generated electricity, and at least one auxiliary electric power supply for supplying electrical energy to said electric loads. The auxiliary electric power supply includes a fuel cell system with an anode fuel input and a cathode fuel input, and an electrolyzer which is capable of generating hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen production side of said electrolyzer is in fluid connection with the at least one anode fuel supply.
The invention allows the fuel cell system to operate at least indirectly on vehicle based fuels, so that it is unnecessary to store two fuels on board of the vehicle to operate the engine and the fuel cell.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.